Italian In the South, Italy

A chi appartieni?

Standard Phrase USED On Occasion BY Older Generations

(Who do you belong to? ) • Question any elder Southern Italian asks when meeting someone younger than them for the first time in order to know which family they belong to and/or who their parents and grandparents are.

“Giovanotto, a chi appartieni?” “Sono figlio del dottor Rossi.”

“Who do you belong to, young boy?” “I’m dr. Rossi’s son.”